Make Believe
by Kihtra
Summary: Bored on the meteor, Dave and Karkat play a game to pass the time. This started out as a DaveKat fluff but turned into something a bit deeper. And longer. Whoops.


Dave landed, fists clenched, his cape sailing back towards the floor. He quickly rolled to the right and perched behind a large black couch. From beneath his shades he could detect Terezi, sitting on the floor with her back turned. Her grey fingers traced a leather journal, its pages riddled with colorful scribbles.

Her apparent engrossment puzzled Dave. Is she reminiscing? Tasting? Critiquing? Regardless, one thing was sure: she hadn't noticed him yet.

Dave sprang to his feet, grabbing the back of the couch for support. In one fluid motion, he pushed himself up and over, rolling clumsily over the scattered pillows and cushions onto the floor behind Terezi.

The troll twisted her head nonchalantly, her sightless gaze resting upon the Knight of Time. "What is it now?"

Down on one knee, with his hands curled into the shape of a gun, Dave lowered his voice playfully. "You thought you'd get away with it, didn't you?"

Terezi groaned. "Dave, not today."

"Dave? Who is this Dave you speak of? Clearly you would have recognized _me_ by now."

She bit her bottom lip, and sneered, "Cut it out. I'm not in the mood."

"The name's Bond. James Bond. James Elizabeth Bond the Third. And I won't let you give Russia those nuclear launch codes." He moved his finger-gun closer to the teal-blooded troll threateningly, and tilted his head slightly towards the left to catch the light.

Terezi closed the journal. She stood up, stretched her arms behind her back, and strode off towards an open doorway that lead to another part of the meteor.

With his pose calcified, Dave raised his voice in mock desperation. "This isn't over! I'll find them, Miss Valentino, I swear on the death of my dearly beloved Sasha—or was it Amy?—I swear that the last babe I picked up at that one bar with the martinis that she did not die for nothing! You hear me, Valentino? You will not get away with—"

The room echoed emptily with his own voice. Terezi had left. The Knight silently lowered his finger-gun as he briefly stared towards the open doorway, and then collapsed on the metal floor in a sigh. Terezi had clearly been avoiding him these last few weeks. Time and time again Dave would try to pique her obviously deteriorating spirits with role-play scenarios, coloring on the walls, or laying down sick rhymes about dragons, but the teal blooded troll would brush him off and continue to sulk. _Trolls sure are complicated._

He scrunched and positioned his cape as a make-shift pillow, splayed his hands over his head, gazing briefly at the barren ceiling before closing his eyes. For months after he first arrived on this meteor, the two had stuck together like glue. _What was it that changed?_ As of recent, something dark had rooted in Terezi's thoughts, and she began to withdraw. Dave had been spending more and more time alone. Nights would increase in length. Solitude began to feel more docile and welcoming. And yet, every so often, Dave would stare at the chalked up wall in the main hall—covered in colorful scribblings—comparing his artwork against hers.

He was just about done comparing. He was done trying to figure out how she wanted him to draw. _Metaphorically, of course_. Dave let out a long sigh at the thought and slowly opened his eyes. _What the hell does that even mean?_

"Pffft….."

_Shit._

Dave didn't flinch, but his face burned hot with embarrassment. He breathed in and out leisurely, before chiding, "I obviously knew you were there, Kitkat. But sure, pretend like you went undetected if that helps you sleep better."

Sitting on the couch with his legs curled up to his chest, Karkat smiled at the scene that had unfolded before him. He snickered for a few moments more, before his usual scowl returned. "Don't fucking call me that you nookbiter."

The two sat in silence, the Knight of Time on the floor and the Knight of Blood perched on the couch. _Fuck, I must have looked so uncool, with Terezi ditching me like that. Why did he have to be here?_

"What's her fucking problem, anyhow?" Karkat pushed himself to one side, his cheeks resting on his hands. "This isn't the first time she's bailed on you like that."

"I really have no clue dude. And I'm not really interesting in spending six hours psychoanalyzing her. If you wanna do that, you can go talk to Rose."

The troll lowered his eyes into a glare and spat, "Oh, forgive me for expressing a shining shit of curiosity and concern for my former matesprite!"

"I thought she was your former kiss-my-sis or whatever?"

"Don't remind me of all my vacillation drama, shitfeathers. It's still a sore subject."

"Hmm. Then why were you chilling with her?"

Karkat frowned. "I was trying to talk to her, obviously. She is clearly depressed. But she ignored me and kept gawking at her childish drawings she keeps in that ugly notebook of hers. She wouldn't even let me see them. So I…just kind of sat here, wondering if she'd even notice I had stopped talking. I'm not sure she did. And then, you came in here diving off the fucking deep end in an even more pathetic attempt to reach her. My god, Dave, it was just so damn hilarious."

"Yeah. She's a mystery, that Pyrope." Dave rolled over onto his stomach and perched his head in his hands, continuing to avoid eye contact with the troll.

"No, it wasn't Terezi that was funny. It was that deplorable little grub game you were playing, all by yourself. Do you understand how pitiful that was? I know Terezi is usually all into that kind of poignant make-believe bullshit, but even _she_ thought it was lame! How does it feel to know that the queen of lame game scenarios doesn't even want to play along with, well, whatever the hell that was?"

"I was James Bond you uncultured swine. And it was awesome."

"Ironically awesome? Because I still don't understand where you draw the line."

"No, like, seriously awesome. Double-Oh-Seven, man. You wouldn't understand that level of class, charm, and badassery if it were staring you straight in the face." He finally glanced over at the troll. "I mean that much is evident considering I'm staring at you right now."

Karkat rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Strider, you don't know the first fucking thing about badass."

"And you clearly don't know a damn thing about how to have fun."

"What a joke." Karkat sat up, his fingers gripping the edge of the cushions. "I have more fun smelling Equius's smelly ass crack than you've had in your entire filthy bane of existence!"

"Well I'm not too surprised there that actually sounds like a once in a lifetime endeavor, please tell me all about it."

"How about I replicate the pleasure and privilege of that occurrence by shoving my fist down your throat and ripping out your voice tube?"

Dave snickered at the troll he was clearly working up into a frenzy. "Please do. I've waited my entire life for this. When I was very young, my brother used to tuck me into bed every night and whisper in my ear, 'One day, Dave, one day a spooky gray alien is going to stick his entire fist down your esophagus and remove your vocal chords,' and I have looked forward to that glorious day ever since. It kept me going. It keeps me looking forward."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Don't know."

A faint growling sound rolled off of Karkat in shallow waves.

"Woah there, Kitkat. Sounds to me like you could relax a little. I know you can barely resist from putting your hands inside my mouth but—"

That did it. Karkat sprang from the couch, curling his hands into fists, his eyes flashing furiously. He grabbed Dave in anger, but was pulled downwards. Since Dave was significantly stronger, wrestling Karkat to the ground was easy. Smiling deviously, Dave sat on top of the troll's chest stubbornly.

"GET OFF ME." The growl in Karkat's throat had increased to a rumble, and his sharp teeth began to clatter.

Dave shrugged, positioning his hands into a pistol. "Not until you give me the codes." He pressed his fingers underneath the troll's chin.

"What the fuck are you blathering on about—"

"The codes, Doctor. I know you have them, and I won't let an innocent country burn to the ground because of it. Give me the codes and maybe I won't blow your brains out."

The red blooded troll glared at Dave, his teeth slowly clattering in anger. Karkat considered his options. He wasn't really one to role-play, but he wasn't one to argue against someone with a finger-gun pointed at his thinkpan, either. Life _was_ a little monotonous on the meteor. _And Dave looks so damn pathetic in that pose, it would be cruel of me not to play along_. Karkat rolled his eyes in compliance. "…if I tell you what the fucking codes are, will you really spare my life?"

Dave raised his eyebrows, surprised that the troll agreed to play along with his scenario. He pretended to straighten a tie with his free hand. "Of course."

Slowly, the growling in Karkat's throat ebbed. "..they don't belong to me, but I know where they are."

"But I received Intel that you, personally, had stolen the codes from the UK Government Agencies."

"Me? Of—of course the fuck not! Well, okay, alright, I _did_ steal the codes. It was just so damn easy, sneaking into the UK, uh, building place thing."

"Well? Where are they?" Dave jammed the nuzzle of his finger-gun against Karkat's skin, leaning lower towards him.

"I don't know, I—!" Karkat noticed the warmth in Dave's fingers, making him swallow nervously. At this proximity, he could barely make out the human's crimson eyes behind his dark shades, beaming with a childish intensity. Karkat knew he was in no real danger, but he piqued his voice desperately to appear dramatically sincere. "I don't have them anymore! I was working under someone else…they have the codes, not me, I fucking swear!"

Dave relaxed his hand, lowering his fake weapon. "So, will you help me locate and return the nuclear launch codes, if I set you free?"

The troll glanced up at Dave, with a melodramatic pause. "Of course you fucknut."

Dave stood up, allowing Karkat a moment to brush the dust off his shirt and rise with him. "Here," Dave said, swatting his hands towards the troll.

"What are you freaking out about now?"

"I'm giving you a gun, dude. We can't go into the heart of the Russian CIA without proper protection."

"Oh." Karkat positioned his fingers similarly to Dave. He felt a sort of thrill—something he tended to avoid at all costs—rise from his stomach and into his chest. _This is…actually kind of fun. _He straightened his back and shot Dave a look. If he was going to go along with this, he might as well get into character. "Okay, Mr. Bond, I'll lead the way. Follow me, but keep your mouth shut. If one word escapes that huge gaper of yours, they'll be onto us. We'll need to sneak into my boss's headquarters undetected."

Dave had forgotten that Karkat was the troll session's leader. Upon arriving at the meteor, Karkat had completely freaked out and abdicated his leadership—as if it really meant anything, anyway—to the humans. Since then, the troll had mostly avoided any position of authority. It was slightly enticing to hear him take charge. Even if it was in a lame make-believe game. He nodded towards Karkat. "Ready when you are, Doctor."

The pair tiptoed into a smaller room, where Rose was sitting at a table, reading an old tome. Karkat motioned for Dave follow quickly. They darted behind a potted plant and huddled closely together.

"Okay," Karkat whispered, his breath warm on Dave's face. "The codes are hidden in that book right there. We're going to have to find a way to swipe it from her. Got any _bright _ideas?" He was slightly disappointed that Dave didn't catch his cleverly placed pun.

Dave stole a peak from behind the leaves of the plant. "She's facing our nine-o-clock. All we have to do is continue counter clockwise, knock out those guards right there," he whispered, pointing towards two of Terezi's scalemates a couple yards away, "and sneak up behind her. We'll have to tie her up or something so she can't alert her evil mob crew to our infiltration."

Karkat nodded. "It's a plan, then. On my count—"

"No, dude, you got us this far, it's my turn to—"

"Hey! What the fuck did I say back there? _You_ have to follow _me."_

"No that's stupid. I'm the hero of this movie, I should be the one to lead."

"Fuck being the hero, I don't give a shit about any of that!"

"Karkat,"

"I bet you haven't ever been in a _real _infiltration mission! I've led so many, I couldn't even begin to count them all! I think I would have more experience leading infiltrations than you. What the hell did you spend your entire session doing anyway, fucking around with time and shit to earn those worthless boonbucks?"

"Karkat, you need to—"

"Like what good was that even for? So you earned a lot of abstract currency that is now currently useless? Like it really mattered in the end? What the fuck was the point of that shitty time loop. What did it earn you?"

"Oh my god you really need to shut—"

"But no, by all means, go dance your way with your glitchy time bullshit to jack those codes and save whatever the hell the UK is, because I clearly am not intelligent enough to maneuver around a bunch of cotton-stuffed dragons and—"

Dave cupped his hands over Karkat's mouth. The troll began to flail against him in anger, which prompted Dave to reach behind Karkat's neck and pinch.

Karkat ceased fighting, but mostly out of confusion. He tilted his head and arched his eyebrows inquisitively.

"Don't trolls have that thing that cats have? Like, a pressure point on their necks or something that makes them stop flipping the fuck out?"

Karkat noticed Dave's sunglasses had slid down his nose. Dave was now staring at him without anything disrupting his vision, and Karkat realized that this was the first time such a thing had ever happened. His eyes were warm and unusually red. Karkat shook his head, and instinctively looked away from his gaze.

Dave stopped pinching, but his hand remained on Karkat's neck. He dropped his voice down to a whisper. "You need to keep quiet. You don't want to let your boss know we're here, and you don't want to alert those guards, do you? For someone so keen on keeping _my _mouth shut, you really ought to learn to control yours." He grinned. "I can teach you how to control your mouth later, but for now, let's stick to the mission, alright?"

He meant it as a dickish jive, but Dave noticed Karkat's cheeks flush with color. He removed the hand he held at the back of the troll's neck, and then removed the one he held against Karkat's mouth. It was slightly wet with saliva. Dave wiped it on his cape, and repositioned both his hands into that of a gun. To his surprise, Karkat didn't shoot back with any sort of retort. He just squatted there silently, behind the potted plant, the pupils of his eyes widened.

After an uncomfortable couple of seconds, Dave asked, "Well? Are you gonna let me lead this one?"

Karkat nodded quickly, snapping out of his stupor. He positioned his hands similarly to Dave.

"Woah, woah dude, you're not holding your gun right."

"What? Yes I am asswipe. I'm doing exactly what you're doing."

"No, you're just making both your hands into a single gun. It doesn't work like that. One hand has to support the gun."

"How so?"

"Like this." Dave pushed his finger-gun into Karkat's face, causing him to stumble backwards slightly.

"Oh! Thanks! Well that cleared everything right the fuck up!"

"Seriously, it's really easy. Just take one of your hands and cup it against the other."

Karkat grabbed his right thumb with his left hand. "Like this?"

"Oh my god you're so bad at this. Here—" Dave took his left hand and swatted Karkat's support hand away. He scooted up next to him so that their torsos touched. Placing his right arm behind Karkat for support, he took his left hand and positioned it underneath Karkat's right. "You have to cup the gun, like this. That's how real spies do it." There was no response, so Dave turned to make sure Karkat was at least trying to pay attention. But Karkat appeared motionless, frozen, his pupils dilated.

_Oh, shit_. Dave realized he was being a little bit too friendly with Karkat. _I hope he doesn't think I'm hitting on him or anything, fuck._ He turned back towards the hand he had perched beneath Karkat's. _Does he think I'm hitting on him? He isn't freaking out about it or anything. Wouldn't he freak out about something like that? _He noticed that his hand was still in contact with Karkat's, and after a few more lingering seconds he let go. Karkat began to copy Dave's hand positioning.

He watched the troll fumble with his smaller grey hands until he finally positioned them correctly. "Like this, asshole?"

"Yeah, see how much more natural that is?"

"I guess so. Whatever." He continued to avoid Dave's eyes.

The two regained their action stances and glared at the two scalemates lying ahead on the floor.

"I'll take out the red one," Dave said, pretending to cock his gun.

"Then that leaves the green one for me." Karkat dramatically cracked his neck.

Dave sprang forward into a roll, with Karkat sprinting next to him.

"Pew! Pew!"

"Take that!"

"Bet you didn't see that one coming!"

"Blam!"

Karkat kicked the stuffed scalemates away, and pretended to wipe sweat from his forehead. "That was sure a close call, Mr. Bond. I hope you still have ammo left to take out the boss."

"I _always _have ammo left," Dave cooed. "Now, for the codes, Doctor."

Dave dived behind an empty chair resting next to Rose, but slipped clumsily. His socks did not allow for much grip on the cold tiled flooring. He played it off as if he had meant to slide over into position, and signaled for Karkat to follow. The troll slid mockingly over to him. The two had maneuvered themselves around the room, so that Rose's back was now faced towards them.

"She'll never see us coming," Dave whispered, grinning.

Rose, of course, was fully aware of the two Knights at this point. They were about as quiet and stealthy as two dolphins swimming through a room full of balloons. Ignoring their tomfoolery, she had continued reading, successfully passing through a few more pages before her peace was officially disturbed. Two fingers jabbed against the back of her head.

"Oh, no, wvoo cood that be?" She exclaimed in her best Russian accent, genuinely caught off guard at this surprising new development.

"We know you have the codes. Give them up, or my fingers might just slip on this trigger."

Rose lazily placed her hands above her head. "Alright, you've got me. But, wvoo, oh, wvooever told you I was in possession of this sequence?"

Karkat pivoted around Rose, his fingers pointed towards her threateningly. "I did I guess. I'm sorry, boss, but it's for the best."

Rose dropped her jaws wide in an exaggerated gasp. "It was you? Oh, what despair! I thought you _loved_ me!"

"Uh. What the fuck."

Dave groaned. "Rose, no, please don't—"

She began to shake and wipe her eyes. "We were going to rule the new world together! You and I! Side by side! How could you betray me like this? What about our _six_ _children_?"

Karkat's teeth began to clatter. "This woman is crazy! We have no such things!"

"Here! Take the codes!" She pretended to tear a piece of paper from her tome, handing it to Karkat. "I understand completely. You have found yourself a new lover." She gave him a wink. "I have no need to rule the world anymore, now that such woe has entrenched itself in my heart. Take it! Take it and leave me alone with my tears!"

"This asshole here isn't my—"

"The names Bond. James Bond." Dave pivoted around Rose so that he stood next to Karkat. "But you _aren't_ in love with the Doctor, you're supposed to try to kill us, okay? Please Rose, just this once can you not ruin everything?"

"But it's true! The Doctor and I have been engaging in sweet, sweet love affairs for quite some time! Shall I tell you, in vivid detail, about our first lovemaking experience?"

"Rose, shut the fuck up this isn't funny."

"It was on the beach. It smelled of salt and mildew, and the thunderous roaring of the ocean dizzied our senses into a stupor of innocence and concupiscence. The light of the sun transformed our bodies into silhouettes against the cliffs, crashing into one another like the waves mere inches away from our toes—"

Dave bolted towards the doorway. "I have the codes, lets get out of here, Doctor!"

"Right behind you!"

The two fled from Rose's words, skirting the hallways with spins and rolls. They made it back to their headquarters, collapsing together on the couch in exhaustion. They sat, side by side, each leaning against an opposing armrest for support.

Karkat let himself breathe for a few seconds before asking, "So, did we accomplish the mission?"

Dave looked towards his hands, then up at Karkat, then down at his hands again. "Doctor, I believe…these aren't the right codes! She tricked us!"

"Dave, please, I can't play this game any longer."

Dave frowned. "Why not?"

"Because I'm fucking tired is why."

"Lame." Dave slid his legs onto the couch and rested his feet on Karkat's thighs. He pressed his neck into the armchair of the couch, his cape draped over the side, and gazed upward. To Dave's surprise, Karkat did not protest the intrusion of his feet. A sudden self-conscious concern over whether his socks smelled was briefly replaced by the troll's sudden giggle. "What is it this time?"

Karkat turned towards Dave, biting his bottom lip to prevent himself from bursting. "_I'm_ the one who's lame, now?"

"Shut up. You liked it."

"I did not. It was stupid. I only participated because I felt bad for you after Terezi fled the scene." His body shook as he suppressed his laughter.

"Whatever man. You just don't understand the irony of it."

"Dave,"

"Yeah?"

"Fuck you and you irony."

Dave understood that the jab was friendly and not angry. It was rare to see Karkat enjoying himself—even if the hot blooded troll would have denied that sentiment—so Dave simply smiled and stole a peek from beneath his glasses.

There he was, hunched over, eyes closed and teeth clenched. His lips were pulled ear to ear in a grin, one small grey hand over his mouth and the other clenched in his lap. The longer he stifled his amusement, the more he found it amusing, and the harder he shook. Every so often he would cease, but the quietness would only add to the absurdity of it all and the cycle would repeat itself. His cheeks began to flush red from the loss of air, his breathing disrupted.

The longer Karkat amused himself, the harder it was for Dave to look away. Something about it was satisfying. Of course, he understood that his childish attempt to play secret agent was only a quarter ironic in nature; he mostly genuinely enjoyed messing around and pretending to be someone else for a while. But he initially did it to cheer up Terezi. And yet, looking back, he never received such a level of amusement to his tomfoolery from her. Although Karkat was, undoubtedly, sadistically enjoying Dave's childish ways, Dave believed that on a deeper level the angry troll had genuinely enjoyed being someone else, too.

Karkat's laugh slowly ebbed into a long sigh and his frown returned. He opened his eyes and stared at Dave's socks, which were still pressed into his legs. "Your socks are red."

"No shit. Red is kind of my thing."

"No I mean, redder than usual. I think it's bleeding."

"Nah."

"No seriously dipshit, you're bleeding. Let me take a look."

"Don't you dare—"

It was too late. Karkat had removed his sock, and proceeded to scrupulously inspect his foot. Dave clenched his body, the sensations both enjoyable and terribly painful. The boy was incredibly ticklish.

"Ah-ha!" Karkat found the source of Dave's bleeding: a small cut on his ankle. "You must have hit it on something when you were jumping around like a lunatic."

Dave couldn't control himself any longer. He began to kick Karkat away.

"What the fuck, Dave? I'm trying to help you, you worthless sack of ass." He gripped his hands firmly on Dave's ankles in defiance.

"Karkat, please, it hurts!" Giggling, he shot his other foot upwards, his knee squaring Karkat in the jaw.

"Jegus fuck, I know it does, that's why I'm trying to help you dipshit!"

"No, I mean—" He thrashed violently, trying to sit up but failing miserably. Grabbing the trolls arm, he pulled Karkat towards himself and endured an angry hiss. Karkat let go of Dave's ankle, falling onto the boy's chest, teeth clenched. Dave relaxed with relief. "I'm sorry dude but you were—"

Karkat had lifted himself off of Dave. His right hand pressed into the couch, and his left hand pressed and examined the wound Dave had given him on his jaw.

"Oh, shit Karkat, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"It's fine. Whatever. I'm leaving." He began to sit up, but Dave grabbed at his sleeve.

"No, dude, I said I was sorry!"

"Fuck off. I was just trying to help. You didn't have to kick me to tell me you didn't want to be licked."

"I kicked you on accident, I'm extremely tickil—what?"

"Extremely what?"

"No, hold up, licked? What do you mean?"

Karkat tilted his head. "Do humans not lick their wounds?"

"Uh, dogs and cats do that shit, not humans."

"So cats do the licking for you? That's fucking nasty."

"Shit, I mean, no, nobody does the licking for anyone but themselves. But humans don't do it ever, that's weird."

"You know, saliva has a lot of healing properties, so it's perfectly natur—"

"Karkat, were you going to _lick _me?"

Flustered, Karkat began to growl again. "Don't say it like that, you just don't understand the sophistication of troll culture. It is custom to lick the wounds of a friend in places that they, themselves, cannot reach."

"That's gross."

"No it's not."

"What if something like, bites your ass? Is it customary for a friend to give you a friendly ass-licking?"

"Obviously not, shitstain. Let me go." Karkat tried again to pull his sleeve free from Dave's grasp.

"Wait wait wait—does this mean, you see me as a friend?"

"What?"

"You said trolls lick the wounds of their friends?"

"Yes I said that, but—"

"So, are we friends?"

Karkat stopped trying to free himself, and averted his gaze. "I guess so? Why does it matter?"

Dave let go of the sleeve. Karkat didn't move. He was kneeling over Dave uncomfortably, his arms crossing into themselves. Smiling, Dave moved his arms behind his head. "Fine, then go ahead, lick my foot."

"No! Not now! It's too late, and you're making it sound incredibly weird when you phrase it like that. I have no way of knowing if you're one of those weird humans with a strange attraction towards foot related sexual foreplay."

"But I'm bleeding, Kitkat!"

"Fuck off. I told you not to call me that."

Karkat seemed incredibly uncomfortable, but he didn't reposition himself. His shirt had stretched and fallen over his shoulder on one side, and his hair was even more disheveled than normal. Dave pushed himself up into a sitting position, his legs still stretching outward. He reached out and touched the bruise he had left on Karkat's jawline, which was beginning to darken.

Karkat flinched. "That fucking hurts, Dave, don't tou—"

Dave leaned in, his fingers firmly grasping the troll's chin, and slowly licked the darkening wound. As he pulled his face away, a string of Dave's saliva webbed between them. Karkat remained very still but did not seem angry. Dave let go, and fell back onto the couch with a smug grin.

"…Like that?"

"You did it wrong. First of all, I wasn't bleeding, so it was absolutely useless. Second, you're not supposed to slobber all over someone like a sick dog." He wiped the remaining spit onto his sleeve.

"Then how are you supposed to do it?"

"Like a fucking normal person? Jegus!"

"Shit, sorry I'm not as good at this troll thing as, gee, I don't know, _trolls_?"

Karkat frowned and sighed. "I get it though. You wanted to show me you see me as a friend. I appreciate that. So fuck you, but thanks." He raised the corners of his lips ever so slightly.

Fuck. He was doing it again. He was smiling. Dave was almost certain his action would piss Karkat off into the fifth dimension or something, which would have been fine, but he certainly didn't expect a smile from it all. _Fuck_. _Why the fuck did I do that? Shit. _Dave couldn't quite understand how happy it made him to be the source of someone else's smile, but he could never even begin to explain the sheer excitement and satisfaction of making _Karkat _smile. _Why does he look so damn adorable when he smiles?_

_Fuck._

_FUCK._

"Hey, moron," Karkat stopped smirking as Dave leered onwards. "I just said 'thank you.' This is where you chime in with either a sincere 'you are most welcome,' or some snotty half ironic retort." Karkat glared at him with a scowl. It was fascinating to Dave just how quickly his contempt could return.

Dave raised his shades, his vision now free from any obstacles or discolorations. "Smile again."

Karkat, caught a little of guard by Dave's doffing, immediately glanced away from his red stare. "You must be delusional. I did no such thing."

"Yeah you did. Just do it. Please?"

"It is too late to use such pleasantries, they are clearly wasted on you."

"Karkat, I'm serious here. I need you to smile. I think I—uh—I think I just need to confirm something?"

"Like that you're a persistent asshat?"

"Why are you looking away?"

"I don't know, you wear those ludicrous glasses, for no real reason by the way, all the fucking time. So, in a weird way, it's like you're naked? And I sure as hell don't want to see that, take as much offense as you please."

"Wait, you didn't look at them before, did you?"

"What? When?"

"When we were behind that plant in the other room. You looked away there too. Are they really that disgusting to you?" His voice wavered slightly.

"What a ridiculous assumption." Karkat continued to avert Dave's gaze. "Your eyes are fine. Are you really that concerned that they're red?"

"Are you really that concerned that your _blood _is red? Because I feel like you of all people shouldn't be in a position to judge my insecurities."

"I got over that ages ago." He bit down on his lower lip. "You should too."

"I am over it."

"Then why the fuck—" Out of frustration, Karkat finally shifted his gaze to Dave. His red, piercing stare was a frost surrounding a fire, a breeze above a boiling pit of lava. Karkat's voice slowed to a halt. "—do you still…consider it, a, uh, an insecurity?"

"I don't think it's something that goes away. I mean, I can accept it and get over it, yeah, but it takes a bit longer for me to feel that way about other people, you know? I guess it's like, you've probably accepted you're a wickedly weird mutant by now, which you've grown to be all fine and dandy with, but if someone were to stab you and discover you bleed red, you would suddenly snap back into that needy stage of validation. All it takes is one observant prick to point out something you've spent years trying to accept, and you're right back in square numero uno."

"I guess I understand, although I wouldn't equate having red eyes to having a blood color that literally castes me as undesirable and cullable in my society. But sure. If it makes you feel any better, I have it off a hell of a lot worse than you."

"Oh wow, you sure know how to make me feel like shit. Thanks."

"Shit, sorry, that probably sounded inconsiderate? I didn't mean it like that."

"I'm kidding, obviously. I don't really care too much about my eyes. I just like the shades. They're rad."

"You're a filthy liar and you know it. I hate it when you do that."

Dave raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Do what exactly?"

"When you tell the truth for fucking once, and then freak out because you're being a bit too honest and real. You revert back to this childish way of coping by insisting insincerity. It gets tiresome."

"Who's to say whether or not I'm being sincere but me?"

"And I hate this even more! Deflecting the truth and avoiding any real confrontation with yourself! I'm beginning to understand why Terezi doesn't let you in, you probably beam some kind of false confidence when you dance around her, which makes her feel alone in her misery."

Dave lowered his shades back over his eyes.

"Make-believe only works for so long, Dave, before people start craving something you could never give—real, heart-to-heart conversation. You're too much of a coward to admit that you're a coward. You want everyone to see you as this strong, daring hero, when in reality you are a scared shitless worm wriggling beneath a canopy of crows. It's only a matter of time before we get fed up with you and—"

"Shut up. Fuck you. You're the shittiest friend I never wanted." Dave put on his glasses again and sat up rapidly, ready to leave.

"Fine, go, I don't really give a flying fuck."

Dave found his feet heavy and weighted, gluing him to the floor. He felt sick.

"And for the record—" Karkat chimed, as Dave sat motionless, "—I think that make-believe scenario you wanted to play with Terezi was more for you than it was for her. And I think she knows that. Sure, she has some fucked up demons she needs help facing, but since she clearly has no interest in helping you with yours, she could never really fill your red quadrant. It's so painfully obvious, Dave. Just let her go."

In a whisper, Dave asked, "Then why are you trying to help me?"

"What?"

"Why are you so intent on having this heart-to-heart conversation with me?"

Karkat scoffed uncomfortably. "I'm not. This is more of a knight-to-knight conversation. We're supposed to be the protector class. How can you protect those around you if you don't know how?"

"What do you mean I don't know how?"

"The best way to protect others is to admit you, yourself, are subject to the same horseshit that others wade knee-deep in everyday. The shit is never ending, Dave. There is an ocean of shit and here you come along with some kind of irony-fueled steamship trying to 'rescue' as many shit-stained commoners as you can. But the reality is, the universe is shitty, and most people don't want to stay where it's nice and warm and comfortable. We find comfort in misery, because it is a truth we all share. Except you. And that's why no one can ever really open up to you. That's why you can't save anyone."

"So you're saying I should fuck up these nice duds and go shit-swimming?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"That's dumb."

"You can't save anyone from afar. You can't reach out to Terezi when she doesn't think you'll ever understand what she's going through."

"Then why couldn't you reach out to her?"

"Because I'm_ drowning_ in shit and nobody wants to deal with that."

"Can we cool it with the scat metaphors?"

"Why. You have a problem with bodily excretion?"

"No, but I'm beginning to think that you do."

"Are you fucking listening to me?"

Dave raised his voice in anger. "Yes, I get it. Okay? I'm a horrible Knight and an even worse friend. You really solved that mystery, thanks."

"Yes of course, that's exactly what I was saying! Congratulations for actually disregarding your swollen ego for once in your shallow existence to pay the fuck attention to what I was saying. Really, nice job."

"Then what _are _you saying?"

"I'm saying, that if you want to help others, you need to let others help _you_."

Dave didn't budge, but he didn't say anything either.

Karkat sat up next to him, his knees brushing against Dave's thighs. "Dave, I wasn't rolling around as a Russian spy or whatever because I _wanted_ to. I did it because _you_ wanted me to. Because _you_ needed that escape. It's obvious, to apparently everyone but you, that you are incredibly lonely here. If you can't see that, if you refuse to admit your own dissatisfaction with yourself, how can you possibly get others to do the same?"

"I'm not lonely." Dave smirked.

"You see? With that kind of attitude you'll never become a fully realized Knight."

"No really, I'm not. At least, not right now." Dave turned his head to look at the persistently intrusive troll. "You're right, Karkat. Of course you're right. I am a coward."

Karkat widened his eyes.

"But I'm not lonely. Not when…" Dave swallowed nervously. "Not when I'm, uh,"

"When you're what?"

"Okay, I admit, I'm not really good at this whole honesty thing."

"Just fucking say it."

"Err, I, uh, I actually don't know if it'll come across correctly. So never mind."

Karkat's disdainful scowl twisted itself into a smile. "You really are ridiculous. You have the biggest fucking walls I've ever encountered. I got damn close to knocking them down though." He sat back, comfortably resting on the couch, and gazed upwards at the ceiling. "I'll consider that an accomplishment for today."

_Shit_. Dave was certain now. Karkat's smile was the most precious thing. It was pure. It was sincere. It was something Dave _wasn't_, but _wanted to be_. Dave failed to suppress a smile of his own at the sight. As Karkat glanced over, Dave held his gaze. For a few moments, the two Knights stared at each other, their smiles slowly fading as a strange realization settled in. As if the air had been drained of its oxygen. Dave found it hard to breathe. He knew the familiar stirrings gushing up inside of him very well. And this time, instead of swallowing and forcing it back down, he let the ecstasy take over him. _I wonder if I could just…sort of…reach over and…_

Karkat was the first to look away. "I should probably go now. Leave you alone to think? I mean, I'm here for you and all, but uh…" He scratched himself anxiously.

"No, I understand. I think I need to be alone too." _Dammit. So close._

Karkat stood up hesitantly. He gave Dave a curious glance before walking away.

"Karkat?" Dave called after him.

"Yes?"

"Thank for messing around with me today, for trying to help me. I don't admit it often, but I actually really appreciate it and sort of needed it. You are a much better Knight than I could ever be."

Karkat curved his head towards Dave. "That much is obvious, shitfeathers," he joked.

He spun back towards the doorway and continued walking, "But really, it was nothing. I mean, that's what friends are for, right?"

"Yeah. I guess. Let's play again sometime, Kitkat."

"I told you not to fucking call me that," Karkat called back to Dave, his voice gradually fading as he exited.

Dave was now alone, staring at the empty doorway. _Friends_. He plopped onto his side, his cheek pressed onto the couch cushions. He continued staring, blinking, and replaying the day's events in his mind, until he began to feel dizzy.

'_Friends'._

He smiled.

_I guess I can play make-believe for a little while longer. _


End file.
